


Did You See That Shooting Star Tonight?

by shipsthatcouldshowyouthestars



Category: Firebringer - Team StarKid, The Guy Who Didn't Like Musicals - Team StarKid, The Trail to Oregon! - Team Starkid
Genre: Emma Being Nice? Wow, I dont know how to write, Kinda sad Times, Most people live, Multi, Paul Should Be A Dad, Paulkins as parents, and bill, and charlotte, black friday spoiler-free, but still soft, crack apocalypse, i kinda stan charlotte & sam im sorry, sorry - Freeform, sorry i kept alice dead, yes there's an OC
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-31
Updated: 2020-02-16
Packaged: 2021-02-27 05:48:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 9,421
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22042084
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shipsthatcouldshowyouthestars/pseuds/shipsthatcouldshowyouthestars
Summary: Noel Michaels didn’t deserve it.She didn’t deserve to be holding the pistol she was holding, mindlessly loading bullets into it. Anyone could see that. Nobody thought she could handle a surprise, nevermind a gun. All she wanted was one of Charlotte’s hugs. That’s all she needed. Too bad she couldn’t get one. Too bad Auntie Charlotte had been killed by the meteor. Too bad Uncle Sam had been killed in the aftermath. Too bad that she was the only one left.(In which the government and Paul destroyed the meteor and the majority of the United States with it.)
Relationships: Charlotte/Sam (The Guy Who Didn't Like Musicals), Charlotte/Ted (The Guy Who Didn't Like Musicals), Jack Bauer Dikrats/Slippery When Wet Dikrats, Jemilla/Zazzalil (Firebringer), Paul Matthews/Emma Perkins
Comments: 23
Kudos: 18





	1. 1

Noel Michaels didn’t deserve it.

She didn’t deserve to be holding the pistol she was holding, mindlessly loading bullets into it. Anyone could see that. Nobody thought she could handle a surprise, nevermind a gun. All she wanted was one of Charlotte’s hugs. That’s all she needed. Too bad she couldn’t get one. Too bad Auntie Charlotte had been killed by the meteor. Too bad Uncle Sam had been killed in the aftermath. Too bad that she was the only one left.

“Noel, you have to get up.” The rough voice startled her from her thoughts. Ted had bent down next to her. Ted was her aunt’s affair; he was always around, always there. She had heard countless nights of him and her aunt going at it while her uncle was off on late-night rounds. She would lay awake, looking through old photos of her family. Some of those were stuffed in the beat-up backpack she had thrown together when Ted took her back to the apartment. The meteor had turned Hatchetfield pretty desolate as it was, and when the government had blown up the country in multiple different spots and snapped the aliens out of their alien trances, the dead stayed dead. So, no Charlotte Michaels and no Sam Michaels.

“What’s happening?” She asked, turning to Ted, but he was no longer there. She got up, picking her backpack up and putting it on her back. She was lucky it was warmer than usual this year in Hatchetfield, so she didn’t have to dress warmly. She could see Emma and Paul in the distance with Ted, going over some sort of plan. She straightened her clothes out and joined the group.

“Okay, I’m really hoping he’s there. Because if he’s not, we’re screwed.” Emma spoke, seeing Noel join the group and stand with Paul, “We can head out now because Sleeping Beauty decided to get up.”

“Oh, be quiet.” Noel rolled her eyes and fixed her hair. “Where are we going?” She turned and looked up at Paul. Paul looked down at her, back to Emma, and then back to the teenager.

“Just going to see if one of Emma’s professors is still around. That’s all. If so, we can maybe stay there for a little bit.” He ran a hand through his hair, trying to figure out how to explain the situation to the 16-year-old. She just nodded and fixed her bag, shifting on her heels.

Noel didn’t remember what a real house felt like. Four years of moving around Connecticut took a toll on her. She barely remembered her house on the coast with her parents. The view of the sea, the smells of salt and sand, all of the memories escaped her mind. The three years she spent in Hatchetfield was more prominent. The apartment she lived in, the one she shared with Sam and Charlotte, in all its glory. She could vividly remember the coffee-with-cream color that covered the kitchen walls, the coffee table that had stains from her aunt’s constant cups of coffee and covered in her uncle’s beer coasters, the pale purple comforter Sam had bought her when she first moved in at age 7; it took up all her memory. Then, moving around. The boarded-up houses that Emma pried her way into just to get a safe place for a few days. The cans and cans of soup Ted had to force-feed Noel when she fell ill due to malnourishment in Waterbury. The bone-chilling winters and sweltering summers. Four years of survival, day-by-day, and now, this professor’s place was finally safe enough for the group to head into.

As the group trekked, Noel tried to keep spirits up by telling stories she had come up with and written down when she couldn’t sleep. The story she was telling today? A spin-off of Star Wars, all about Anakin Skywalker and somehow, she’d come up with Obi-Wan Kenobi being an alcoholic. Paul listened to her talk while Emma and Ted tuned her out. Sometimes, Noel talked more than she needed to, but that was okay. They reached the professor’s house within a couple of hours, Noel just about finishing her story. When Emma reached up to ring the doorbell, Noel felt the rush of anxiety she always felt when trying to enter a new place. _What if nobody’s there? What if there aren’t enough resources? What if someone crazy is in there and tries to kill us?_

She was pulled from her thoughts by the door opening. A tall, gray-haired man stood in the doorway, looking at the group of people.

  
“Professor, it’s me, Emma Perkins. Can we come in?”


	2. 2

After a bit, the man let them in without a word, eyeing Noel. She kept her head focused on Paul’s back, needing to just get inside and figure out what was actually going on. Voices flooded her ears, new voices that she didn’t recognize. Emma suddenly turned and grabbed Paul’s arm.

“There are others. We have to be careful, Paul.” She said to her boyfriend. Noel’s eyes shifted to the professor, who then stepped towards Emma.

“They’re a family, Emma. Five of them. A grandpa, two parents, and two kids. They’ve been checked, they’re all clear. Seeing as some of the worst of it hit Oregon, they’ve been lucky.” The man led them down into where the family was.

Noel took a deep breath and surveyed the group. The smallest of the group was a little blonde boy, not older than 7. Then there was a teenage girl, sitting next to the small boy. The two parents were bickering, which Noel couldn’t make out why. Finally, the grandfather was sleeping on one of the cots. The little boy turned his head and gasped, “Mama, there are visitors!” The black-haired woman that reminded Noel of her own mother turned and saw the group, led by the professor. 

“Oh, Dr. Hidgens, who are these people?” The mother asked, looking at the group. Noel rubbed her arm, suddenly self-conscious. She wasn’t prepared to see new people. Her hair was braided down her head, long and unkempt. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d gotten a haircut, or even the last time she’d gotten new clothes.

“These are friends of mine: Emma Perkins, Paul Matthews, Ted Richards, and this child is…” Dr. Hidgens trailed off and looked to Noel to say her name. 

“Noel Michaels.” Ted relieved Noel of having to talk. The girl’s social anxiety was skyrocketing, manifesting in scratching her nails absentmindedly down her arms. 

“Nice to meet y’all. I’m Slippery When Wet. This is my husband, Jack Bauer, and my children are Mouthface and Craphole. My father is asleep, and his name is Titty Mitty.” The mother spoke, pointing to each family member. “We’ve been here for about 3 months, how long have y’all been around here?”

“At least sixteen years, minimum,” Paul spoke. “Noel’s 16. She’s the youngest of us. Niece of a co-worker.” He explained vaguely, putting a hand on her shoulder. “We’ve floated around the state for the past few years, but we’ve come back since. Emma was a student of Henry’s, so we were just hoping he got here in time to be okay. How did you guys get...here?”

“Oh, my husband got us here somehow. We were heading to Georgia, but we took some sort of detour and ended up here.” Slippery When Wet sounded almost resentful to end up in Hatchetfield. “Then, we found Henry when we tried to break in. Craphole wasn't feeling well so we were trying to find somewhere to put him to bed.” She gestured to her son, the blonde. “Poor kid was pretty malnourished. Henry got him all taken care of.” Noel almost winced at how sharp her words were. She couldn’t tell who the mother was referring to, but she could tell they were meant in malicious intent. 

“Oh, nice to meet you, ma’am,” Noel said softly. She’d come across as a shy teenager to everyone they’d met in the past four years. Sometimes, she’d been passed off as mute or injured. In reality, her anxiety had absolutely taken over her life. In some ways, it helped. She was good at doing small tasks: cooking, cleaning, sorting through medkits. She left the bigger tasks to the adults. Not that Emma would give her a bigger one anyway.

Emma was the closest thing Noel had to a mother anymore. Her real mother was forced to give her up at age 7 and Charlotte was too neurotic to be a mother. Since the meteors hit, Noel had clung to Emma. She was sweet on the girl, as were the boys, but in a motherly way that Noel had never seen before. Emma would make sure Noel was alright. When the malnourishment hit, Emma had to barter with people just to make sure that Noel could eat. Sometimes, this didn’t come in handy. Emma would give Noel baby tasks, even if Noel was strong enough to help with the bigger tasks. 

“Noel, why don’t you go and sit down? I need to talk to Professor Hidgens, alright?” Emma gently put her hand on Noel’s arm, using the “mom voice”, as Paul had dubbed it years prior. Noel looked at Paul, who gave her a look.

“Noel, listen to your mother.” Ted joked, his voice light as Noel pulled away from the group and sat down on the floor. The room was a pale blue, the floors made out of linoleum. She rested against the wall, moving her backpack onto the floor next to her. As she heard the door shut, she unzipped the bag and found the beat-up notebook she’d kept. Papers and photos stuck out the sides, a pen attached to the back cover. She opened it and looked at the photo she’d taped in on the inside cover. The two adults with a small 8-year-old girl smiled back at her, and she let the memory replay in her mind.

_ “Noel, honey..” Sam pushed open the door to her bedroom, the artificial lights flooding the room, “You’ve got to get up. First day of second grade.” He smiled, hearing a groan come from the small girl.  _

_ “Uncle Sam, five more minutes…” The body under the lavender comforter shifted back towards the wall. A chuckle slipped from the man’s lips as he moved into the room. _

_ “Not if you want Auntie and me to drive you by Paul’s.” He said, grabbing the girl’s teddy bear off her bed, “And, I think Teddie wants you to get up too.” He waved the teddy bear around in the air. _

_ “Can we go to Beanie’s too?” She asked, rolling back over to see her uncle. Beanie’s was her favorite coffee place, it not far from Charlotte’s work and her school. Sam smiled and put the bear down as Noel sat up. _

_ “If you hurry up, I’m sure we can meet Paul there.” He left the room and allowed Noel to get ready. The 7-year-old hurriedly got dressed, putting on the clothes she had to wear. This was her first day at her new school. Luckily, Clivesdale Public Schools had allowed her to finish her 1st-grade year in Clivesdale because of the reason she had moved mid-year. This was her first year in Hatchetfield, a new start. _

_ “Morning, Auntie Char!” Noel ran into the kitchen and grabbed onto her aunt’s arm, “Can you braid my hair?” She begged, her eyes lit up as her aunt looked down.  _

_ “You know I can’t braid well, honey.” Charlotte sighed softly, kissing the top of her niece’s head, “Are you sure you want me to?”  _

_ “Yes, please!” She smiled at her aunt, and she could feel Charlotte melting by the second. Noel always knew how to work around her aunt. Charlotte placed the ‘best aunt’ coffee cup Noel and Sam had gotten her for her birthday down on the counter and led Noel into the bathroom. Noel stood on the stool as Charlotte braided her hair. Albeit messy, Noel appreciated it with all her heart.  _

_ “Honey, you’re gonna be good today, yes?” Charlotte began her spiel, “You know Uncle Sam can’t come and pick you up if you get in trouble.” _

_ “Yes, Auntie Char. I understand.” She nodded softly, “I’ll be the best student Ms. Potter has. I promise.” The gap-toothed smile appeared in the mirror. Sam poked his head in, seeing his wife and niece talking.  _

_ “Charlotte, we’ve got to hurry up if we’re going to meet Paul at Beanie’s.” He reminded her, looking in the mirror. Charlotte nodded and pulled the hair tie around the end of the braid. Noel quickly brushed her teeth and grabbed her backpack, putting her shoes on.  _

_ “Uncle Sam, I’m ready to go!” Her eyes lit up as she looked at her uncle. He took her hand as Charlotte joined them.  _

_ They got to Beanie’s on time, and Paul caught Noel’s eye. The child ran up to him and gave him a big hug.  _

_ “Hi, Noel. You’re looking great. First day of second grade?” Paul gave her a hug, looking up at Charlotte and Sam with a smile. Noel nodded and smiled up at him, nearly pulling him into the line to order. _

_ “Auntie Charlotte said I can get a hot chocolate before school starts today. Look, she gave me five dollars!” She grinned, holding it up to show him. Paul smiled and ordered for himself before looking at Noel to order. She froze up and just pulled on his blazer sleeve, which reminded Paul that he had to order for the girl. He ordered and she gave him the money to pay. After a bit, their drinks came out and Noel held it in her tiny hands. Sam had gone off to work, pressing a kiss to Charlotte’s cheek and giving Noel a big hug, reminding her that she had to be good today at school. Before that, Paul had gotten a picture of her, Sam, and Charlotte. The two adults squished Noel in the middle of them and Noel couldn’t help but let out loose giggles. The picture was taken and Sam went off. Paul and Charlotte walked Noel to her first day of second grade, the tears already stinging the small girl’s eyes, the anxiety bubbling up inside her. Despite all of it, she still managed to go to school and have the best day she’d had in a while.  _

Noel was, yet again, startled from her thoughts by Emma coming down the stairs and sitting next to her. Everyone else had gone upstairs, except for Noel. 

“Is that Charlotte?” She asked, pointing to the photographed Charlotte. Noel gave a small smile and nod. Emma looked more, “She looks so much different in that picture. I can't figure out why.”

“First day of school in Hatchetfield. I finished first grade in Clivesdale and came straight here from then on. The first day, we met Paul at Beanie’s. My favorite place in the entire world,” she explained, “Uncle Sam went to work after this picture was taken. Auntie Charlotte and Paul walked me to school that day. Good day. The first day that I hadn’t had an anxiety attack at school in a long time.” She rubbed her thumb over the picture, taking a deep breath. Noel avoided explaining why her aunt looked so different from the neurotic woman Emma had known, “Why are you down here?”

“Oh, it’s dinner time. Professor Hidgens wants a big family dinner-esque thing. Came down to get you. The little kid didn’t want to disturb you.” Emma got up, watching Noel put her notebook back together, “Were you looking through the photos again?”

“Yeah. I needed it today.” Noel said, her voice quiet as she put the notebook into the bag and put the bag on her back, which Emma quickly shook her head at. Noel placed it down and Emma smiled softly, taking her upstairs to the dinner table. 


	3. 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i realized i just stopped leaving notes so hi!! i hope you are enjoying this if youre following it :)

The table was set up in what Noel assumed to be the living area. The other inhabitants had filled in the extra seats. Lucky for the teen, Emma had made sure Ted left a space between him and Emma for her. She took her seat quietly, watching Professor Hidgens pass the food down the line. It looked better than anything she had eaten recently. It looked like real food, not just cans of soup and fruit that Emma grabbed off abandoned shelves.

“Mr. Henry, where did you get all this food?” Mouthface, although Noel couldn’t remember her name for the life of her, asked, eyeing the plate of ham hungrily. Professor Hidgens laughed softly, taking a seat at the head of the table.

“I’ve been preparing for 30 years for the apocalypse. The meteors were close enough.” He began to help pass more dishes down, calling to someone called “Alexa” to fix the lighting. Noel took the meat and vegetables sparingly, making sure that the rest of the table would have enough. The mother of the other group took one look at Noel’s plate and began to chastise Emma. 

“Oh, have her eat a little more. By the looks of it, there’s enough to go around and she needs the meat on her bones,” Slippery When Wet pointed to Noel, and Emma put a little more ham on her plate, much to the girl’s dismay. Once the food reached Professor Hidgens again, the group began to eat. Noel picked at her food, not sure how much she could eat at one time. Emma gently nudged her and nodded for her to start eating. Noel put some ham on her fork and took a bite. It felt unnatural to be eating real food at first, but soon Noel was eating as if she hadn’t eaten in a few days, which was not a total lie.

About an hour later, she was bent over the toilet, throwing up all the contents in her stomach. She had eaten more in one sitting than she had in four years. Despite Emma’s warnings, she stuffed her face and was paying the consequences for it now. Emma had made sure the girl was alright before heading upstairs for the adults to talk.

Of course, that backfired when someone heard retching from the bathroom and Jack Bauer had opened the door on Noel and immediately got Emma. So here Noel was, throwing up the contents of her stomach, with Emma rubbing her back gently while making sure the girl didn’t get sicker than she was.

“Are you done?” Emma’s voice cut through the silence after Noel’s last gag. The tone wasn’t as bad as it seemed, it was just checking to see if she was alright. Noel nodded, looking for something to wipe her face with. Her face was a pale white and her eyes were glassy as Emma passed her a damp face cloth. She wiped her face, washing off the embarrassment.

“I’m sorry,” Noel whispered, “I know you have to be in the meeting with Paul and Ted and Mr. Dikrats…” She pushed herself up, and Emma stood with her to make sure she was steady.

“It’s alright. I’ll get filled in. You go and lie down, okay? I’m sure the girl down there can help you out. Actually, I think Hidgens gave you a room. I’ll go ask real quick.” Emma led Noel out into the living area, where all the adults, even Titty Mitty, were gathered at the table. All eyes shifted to Noel and the teen immediately blushed. Emma whispered to Hidgens and he immediately whispered back. Noel waited for Emma, her fingers yet again trailing up and down her arms. The woman rejoined the teen and led her downstairs.

“Room arrangements are already figured out. Paul and I share, the two kids share, the parents share, Ted’s sharing with Hidgens, and the grandpa gets his own room. Paul got you your own room, not far from ours. He’ll be down later to show you where our room is, okay?” Emma explained as she walked down to the bedroom Noel would have all to herself. The teen’s heart began to speed up. Her _own_ room? She didn’t know what that felt like anymore. She hadn’t had her own room since she was 12. She looked at Emma and nodded, just agreeing to get it over with. Emma pushed the door open.

The cot was pushed against the wall, a metal bedside table next to it. The walls were a pale blue, just like the big room she had been in earlier that day. She felt the wall with her hand, it cool to the touch. That gave her some sense of comfort, feeling the cold wall. She pulled her sneakers off and pulled her hair from its braid, unbraiding it so she could lay down in peace. Emma watched the girl climb into the cot and close her eyes before heading back up to the meeting.

Days passed like nothing to Noel. She was so used to seeing the sunrise and the sunset that days seemed to fly by in the bunker. The first couple of days were rough. She got antsy from being inside for long periods of time. She spent hours at a time sorting through Paul’s medkits, resorting bandages and putting them back into the boxes. She also would reload the guns, keeping her hands busy. Paul and Emma would take turns checking on her, always hoping she was coping well with their new home. Ted would be off doing whatever with Jack Bauer, she didn’t really know what the pair got up to. Noel’s favorite thing to do, however, was watch Craphole for Slippery When Wet. The child intrigued her, always doing stupid stuff for Noel to correct. It gave her something to distract her. Some nights, Craphole would beg Noel for a story to tell. Mouthface would stay up with her mother, sewing and talking. Meanwhile, Noel would pull out her notebook and tell Craphole stories from it. One night, he stopped her on one of the photos. It was one of her around the same age as him, blowing out the candles on a birthday cake as two adults stood behind her with proud smiles. The adults sent shivers down Noel’s spine always, no matter how old she got. 

“Who are they?” He put his finger on the picture, which caused Noel to put hers next to his.

“Those are my parents. Do you wanna hear the story about them?”


	4. 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is short but that's only because im uploading twice today???  
> but more shit about Noel, i guess, and her parents and how,,,,much i hate them,,,,

Noel looked at the clock in the room. It read  **8:46 PM** . Slippery When Wet would be down in 14 minutes to relieve Noel of her duties. She looked back up to the little boy, who nodded eagerly. 

“Please?” HIs little voice made Noel’s heart melt. This little boy probably grabbed at every chance he got to hear about the world pre-apotheosis. She smiled softly and adjusted her back against the wall, beginning to illustrate the memory for the little boy.

_ It was Noel’s 7th birthday, and she had been woken up at an ungodly hour in the morning to travel. Her birthday was Christmas Day, so they always went to upstate New York to visit her family and celebrate. When they reached New York, the girl was clutching the stuffed dog Sam had given her as an early Christmas/birthday gift. She couldn’t get over how soft it was, how it felt when she leaned her head on it and slept. _

_ “Noel, we’re here.” Her mother said in the front seat, disturbing the girl from her nap. Noel looked out the window at the house her grandparents called home. It was large, something you’d assume to be in a live-action princess movie. She could see Charlotte and Sam’s car--a black pick-up truck--along with some of her other family members’ cars as well. She clutched the dog in her arms as she got out of the car. She could see Charlotte making coffee and Sam watching outside. She then ran to the door, it opening in time that she wouldn’t run into it. _

_ “Hey, kiddo!” Sam pulled Noel into a hug, the small girl quickly hugging back. Her mother and father unloaded gifts, grateful to have the kid off their hands for a moment.  _ ~~_ And for the rest of their lives. _ ~~

_ “Uncle Sam!” She practically squealed into his ear. She still held her gift from him tight in her hands. Charlotte came around the corner, smiling and quickly taking the girl from Sam. _

_ “Hey, sweetie.” Charlotte gave her niece a kiss on the head, holding her, “Happy birthday. How old are you now? 13?” She joked, earning a giggle from her. _

_ “No, I’m seven!” She said as Charlotte placed her down. Noel followed her aunt around, seeing all her relatives and getting happy birthday wishes. She always enjoyed Christmas, especially since dessert was always her birthday cake. She always sat next to Sam, who was widely known as her favorite uncle.  _

_ Her parents were barely around Noel, spending a lot of time in the kitchen with Noel’s uncles that always smelled gross. Not like Uncle Sam, who smelled of those tiny white things he liked to have. They smelled like the inside of the family car.  _ ~~_ She didn’t know the name at the time, but it was booze. _ ~~

_ When it came time to blow out the candles, her parents stood behind her and always watched.  _ _~~Not even a hand on their daughter’s shoulder~~.  _ _ That year, Charlotte took the photo. Usually, her grandfather did, but he was sick that year. The photo was taken as Noel blew out the candles on her Disney Princess birthday cake. _ ~~_ The last birthday she’d spent with her parents, the last Christmas in upstate New York, the last holiday with Sam’s side of the family. The girl slept peacefully on her way home, but that was interrupted. _ ~~

With the memories of after Christmas flooding back to her, Noel closed the notebook, putting it aside as she noticed an asleep Craphole with his head on her shoulder. She smiled softly and took the boy’s Davy Crockett hat off his head.

“You got him to sleep?” The midwestern accent startled Noel. It was Jack Bauer, standing in the doorway to his children’s room, “I’m impressed. Not many people can do that.”

“Oh, it wasn’t hard at all, Mr. Dikrats. I just told him a story, that’s all.” Noel gently laid the boy down and got off the cot, grabbing her notebook, “I know you’re probably here to put him to bed, I’ll head out.” She smiled softly and ducked out the door, not wanting to engage in any more conversation than she had to. She was exhausted, having done the same mindless tasks all day. She went down to her room, passing by Emma and Paul’s room to let them know she was heading to bed. She jiggled the doorknob slightly, but it didn’t open. The locked door gave her a sign not to go in, so she didn’t attempt to pick the lock and went straight to her room instead. She pulled her sneakers off and climbed under the thin sheets, her eyes closing once her head hit the pillow. 


	5. 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh yes  
> this is my favorite chapter, hands DOWN.  
> tw: anxiety, nightmares, definitely mentioned is death within the first 3 lines.  
> i hope you guys enjoy, i posted twice today to makeup for not posting all week???  
> school is shitty

Noel woke up in a sweat, shivers running through her body. The nightmare had happened again. The one where Emma shot and killed her instead of taking her in. She hadn't run to Emma since they’d found their home at Hidgens’ bunker. Paul had immediately offered to share a room with his girlfriend. It wasn’t like Noel could blame him, all four of them had been sharing a room for four years. No wonder the couple wanted privacy.

However, she wished they shared a room still for this reason and this reason only. Emma was always there to calm her down and make sure Noel went back to sleep, no matter how old she was. The woman was the closest thing Noel had to a mother. She couldn’t help but feel a little upset when Paul took Emma as his roommate. She understood why, but she had a hard time letting go of the old ways they’d followed. 

Noel pushed herself up and put the light on. The linoleum floors shone under the artificial lights, causing the girl to squint as she looked for her shoes. She pulled the ratty sneakers on and moved into the hallway. The lights were dimmer as she walked along the route Paul had shown her. He had told her, “If anything happens, just come and get Em or me.” She was lucky he cared. The door to Emma and Paul’s room was right there, so Noel knocked. A shuffling of blankets came from the room. The door opened to a bleary-eyed Paul.

“Noel?” He asked, his voice gravelly, “What’s wrong? It’s 2:30 in the morning…” He rubbed his eyes but was taken aback when Noel just wrapped her arms around the tall man. She began to shake, which led Paul to realize what had happened.

“Nightmare?” He asked softly, closing the bedroom door so the pair was in the hallway. “C’mon, Noel, let’s head back to your room.” He ran a hand over his face to wake himself up.

“Can I have Emma?” A shaky sob fell from the teen’s lips. “Please, I need Emma…” Her voice trailed off into soft sobs, which broke Paul’s heart to hear. He quickly slipped back into the bedroom to wake Emma up, which was ultimately unsuccessful. Noel wiped at the tears falling down her face. She felt terrible about asking, but she assumed that Emma was the only one that would make this right again. Paul stepped back out without Emma, which only made Noel feel worse. She just took Paul’s arm and walked back to her room, sniffles coming from her. 

When Paul closed the door to Noel’s room behind him, he noticed just how much of the room wasn’t comforting. The linoleum shone too bright, the stark-white sheets on the bed reminded Paul of the hospital bed that he had laid in for days post-meteor, the lack of comfort was real. Noel was rifling through her backpack, clearly distraught and seeking her best coping mechanism: the notebook filled with stories and photos.

“Noel, get in bed,” Paul said, but the teen just ignored him before collapsing to the floor with shaky sobs. He quickly switched to “dad-mode”, as Emma called it. He gently sat down on the floor next to the teenager, putting an arm around her. She quickly turned and buried her head into his t-shirt. He rubbed small circles into her back as she cried, trying to calm her in any way he could. That seemed to work with Emma when she had nightmares, so he hoped it would work with Noel. 

He didn’t know what the nightmare was about. He never asked. He never knew what Emma’s were about either. He just knew that they all had nightmares, even the 12-year-old. When the four of them shared a room, Paul would wake up some nights to see Emma holding Noel, rubbing the girl’s back and trying to lull her back to sleep. Ted would groan about being woken up, which would set Emma off. Once she would get the girl back to sleep, Ted would get scolded for being such an asshole to her. 

_“She’s trying, Ted. Leave her alone. She just lost her aunt and uncle. She’s 12, lay off a bit. She’s still a child.”_ Emma would scold, bending right down to the man’s level. Paul would watch them go back and forth for a few minutes before Emma would give up and go back to lying down with him. He never once asked what happened with Noel, never once asked why she always went to Emma first. It was Emma’s thing to calm her down. He didn’t interfere unless needed. It was an unspoken agreement between the two of them.

Noel cried for what felt like hours to her. She cried and cried under the artificial lights that gave her a false understanding of time. She cried until she felt like she was going to throw up what she had eaten the night before. She cried until she couldn’t anymore. She ended up with her head in Paul’s chest, shaking, and just holding onto his arm as if her life depended on it. Eventually, she found the strength to pull herself up and put herself into bed. Paul watched, getting up and straightening himself out. She pulled the thin sheet over herself and watched him turn the doorknob to leave.

_“Please don’t go.”_

Her raspy voice broke the silence, causing Paul to turn around. Noel looked so child-like at this moment, more like the 12-year-old girl Paul met in the Clivesdale County Hospital who had been clinging to Emma as if her life depended on it than the 16-year-old girl he’d seen work a gun and sew up reopened wounds on each of them. 

“Oh..alright..” Paul took his hand off the doorknob and took a seat on the edge of the bed, “I’ll stay for as long as I can.” He gently moved up and pressed a kiss to the teen’s head, “Get some rest. You deserve it, Noel. I promise.” He said softly as the teen’s eyes fluttered shut. He heard the door creak open, and he turned his head to see Emma in the doorway.

“You okay?” She asked, seeing him sitting on the edge of Noel’s bed. Paul looked back at Noel and nodded. 

“She had another nightmare. She came to get you, but you were sleeping and wouldn’t wake up so I just came and helped.” He said quietly, watching Noel’s shoulders rise and fall with her breaths, “She’s too young to already be having this amount of nightmares. It’s almost every night now, Em...that’s not okay”

“I know, but with what she’s been through, I’m surprised they only just started getting more frequent.” Emma came and sat next to Paul, putting her hand on his arm, “I mean, with her parents and then with Charlotte and Sam...I’m surprised, to say the least.” She looked at Noel too. “She ate tonight and didn’t throw it all back up. That’s an improvement, a good thing. I don’t know how she’ll cope with tomorrow, though. We have to go out for supplies. I’m not having her come with us. She can stay here with Hidgens. He’ll give her things to do. I just don’t know how she’ll feel not coming with us…you know how she gets, hon...” She trailed off as Paul pressed a soft kiss to her head, trying to relieve her worries.

“We’ll get to that when we have to go, okay? Now, let’s head back to bed. It’s still dark, the lights haven't gotten brighter in the hall. I’m sure we can get some sleep.” He got up to leave, taking his girlfriend with him. Paul took one last look at Noel, who had settled down and was back to sleep. He gave a soft smile as Emma went over and pressed a gentle kiss on the girl’s head before rejoining him as they left the room and went back to their bedroom. 

"Paul?" Emma asked as her boyfriend climbed into bed. He looked down at her as she adjusted how she laid against him. Her voice was quiet, but he heard her.

"I love you, so much. You'd make an amazing dad in another universe. One where the world was still intact, one where me and you made it to Colorado...with an itty bitty pot farm and some little kids running around." Emma was drowsy, her head drooping into his chest. He went red and wrapped an arm around her.

"You'd make an amazing mom. I see you with Noel. Trust me, you'd be a way better parent. I'd get so nervous...but you have so much chill, plus the pot..." A soft laugh slipped from Emma, which was music to Paul's ears. He truly, _truly_ loved Emma Perkins with all his heart.

That little ring inside the bedside table was his promise to her. He just didn't know how to give her the promise.


	6. 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> whoo !!  
> noel dumping her entire life story on the only person she genuinely trusts besides emma?? OOPs  
> tw: alcohol, neglect, i think that might be it?  
> oh yes, noel has a hard ass anxiety attack and does injure herself.

The morning went like usual. Noel got up early and wrote a little bit in her notebook before making her bed. She put on the clothes Mouthface had lent her, even if they were massive on her. She pulled her long hair into a ponytail, a task she hated but would have to do until she could find someone who could give her a decent haircut. She then went up to the living area. Hidgens had instant coffee stashed away, so she made herself a cup and sat at the table. Most of the adults got up earlier and hung back in their rooms. Mouthface and Craphole always slept in. That was just how it went in the bunker. After about 10, the living area began to get busier. Paul, Emma, and Ted were moving quicker than usual, which startled Noel. This wasn’t part of the normal routine. Usually, Paul and Emma were the last to come out of their rooms. Noel and Ted would howl laughing if they could see hickeys on Emma's neck, or even Paul's. But, this morning, there was no joking around. Just silence.

“Paul, what’s happening?” She asked, her voice filled with worry. He didn’t respond, putting a bag together with a medkit and gun. It sent anxiety through the teen’s bloodstream, immediately kicking in. She moved onto Emma.

"Emma?" Noel's voice shook a little bit. She didn't like Emma ignoring her. Still, Emma continued to stay silent. 

“Noel, don’t bother them.” Hidgens stepped into the room, gently talking to the girl, “They have to go out for supplies. Them, Jack, and Titty Mitty are. I’ve been told you’re staying here.” Noel’s face fell and she began to shake her head as the rest of the group finished grabbing what they needed. 

"No, no. They can't go. I'm gonna go too." She began to try and grab a bag, but Hidgens had moved them up high. _That asshole._

"ted?" Noel whispered, pulling at his arm. He shook her off, but Noel was adamant about getting his attention too. Noel grabbed Ted. She held tightly to him, something she almost never did. She didn’t trust Ted as much as she trusted Paul, but since he was preoccupied with getting ready to leave, she clung to him. She could feel the anxiety bubbling up again, that fucking feeling. That feeling overtook her body and she felt her muscles going rigid. A sure sign she wasn’t feeling well.

“Ted, I don’t feel good...” Noel mumbled. He looked down at her before looking back up at Slippery When Wet. Noel was trying to get them to stay, or better yet, take her with them so they could keep an eye on her.

“Shit, what do I do?” He asked her, vocalizing his concerns. Slippery When Wet tried to pry the girl off Ted, but her grip was strong; she didn’t trust the midwestern mother enough yet. 

“Noel, you gotta go with her. Okay?” Ted pried her off and bent down to her height. Noel was short for 16, at 5 feet. 

“But what if something happens to you guys?” She asked, her voice choked up. Ted smoothed her sleeves down before handing her over to Slippery When Wet. 

“We’ll be okay. Now, be good and don’t make any trouble for Mrs. Dikrats. Okay?” Ted instructed before joining Paul and Emma. A muffled noise came from Noel as she tore her skin on her nails. Slippery When Wet looked down at the girl’s arm before making a disapproving noise. 

“Girl, we’ll have to break that habit of yours. Come inside now.” She shook her head as she led noel back into the house. 

“No, no, no! Let me stay outside. Please, ma’am, I gotta make sure they come back.” Noel begged, struggling to pull away. Slippery When Wet kept a firm grip on her, holding her close as the group of five began to leave. Emma stopped in front of Noel, gently putting an arm on her shoulder.

“I know it isn’t ideal. We’ll be back soon, okay? Love you, Michaels.” She gently ruffled the girl’s hair, which earned a small, yet upset, smile from the girl.

“I love you, Perkins.” She said softly, her voice unsteady. Ted whistled for Emma to come back, and Emma obeyed. She went up the stairs behind Ted, Paul following right after her. 

That was what sent Noel over the edge. She tried to break away to go. She felt terrible about watching them go. Even though they were grown adults, it hurt Noel to watch them leave. Slippery When Wet led the girl downstairs, away from the group. She walked down to Noel’s room, opening the door. Noel immediately climbed back into her bed, messing up the sheets again. A huff came from Slippery When Wet as she saw Noel trying to lay back down.

“No, no. You’re bleeding still. Ain’t you got a medkit or something?” Slippery When Wet sat the girl upright. Noel pointed to her backpack, which the mother quickly opened and pulled out the medkit stashed in there, along with Noel’s notebook. Even though they hadn’t been together for long, Slippery When Wet had seemed to pick up on Noel’s tendencies. Noel watched her open the kit and pull out an alcohol wipe and some bandaids before she winced at the stinging. The alcohol wipe was being wiped over the cut.

“Ow...stop it...it's not that bad..." She groaned, trying to pull her arm away. Slippery When Wet kept a firm grip, firmer than Noel had felt in a while. Emma didn’t grab Noel too hard if she hurt herself. She watched the woman clean her arm before applying the bandages on her forearm. She watched Slippery When Wet put the medkit back and hand the notebook to her. Noel immediately held it in her hands, opening it and looking at the photos. The many pictures brought her a sense of comfort, a sense that she needed at a time like this. 

Time passed slowly to Noel. The bunker seemed silent. No Emma and Paul cracking jokes at the table, no Ted pestering Hidgens, no Jack Bauer and Slippery When Wet arguing. She spent hours flipping through her notebook, rereading her scribbled stories and looking at the old photographs. Slippery When Wet sat in the room with her, sewing up some of Jack Bauer’s shirts that had been torn. Noel only knew she was there because she’d occasionally hear a couple of “Fuck”s and then the ruffle of the shirt she was mending as she took out whatever stitches she had messed up. 

“Noel, how did you end up with Emma and them?” Slippery When Wet broke the silence after Noel’s second read-through of the Star Wars story. Noel’s head snapped up and she swallowed the lump in her throat. She had to tell someone, nobody had ever asked. 

“Oh, Paul worked with my aunt. I lived with my aunt and uncle until the meteors. The first one killed my aunt. She got infected and someone shot her down. When the one in D.C. hit, my uncle was down there in an attempt to stop the government interference. He was killed by the government one,” she started, “Paul stopped the one up here, he lived. He was in the hospital for days. Emma was in Clivesdale, she came back to see if she could find any survivors...she checked Beanie’s--that’s a coffee shop she worked at--and I’d been hiding there for a few days at that point. She recognized me. I used to frequent Beanie’s with Paul, and she worked there. After a bit, she got me to come out from behind the counter and open up a little bit. So, she and I set off to Clivesdale County Hospital. We got there and found Paul. I was pretty scared at first. Ted found us minutes later. I knew Ted because he was fucking my aunt every Thursday night behind Uncle Sam’s back, but also because he worked with her too.”

“So, none of them are your real family?” Slippery When Wet interrupted, “I honestly thought Ted was your father, I mean, the way he acted earlier, I would think he was--” Noel laughed, cutting the woman off.

“Oh, Ted’s not my father. My actual father? He and my mother were assholes. Both of them. They appreciated the joys of vodka and beer more than the joys that came with raising a child.” She took a deep breath, knowing she had to get it off her chest somehow. Someone else had to know other than the 3 people she genuinely trusted. Slippery When Wet trusted her with the life of her 7-year-old boy, why couldn’t Noel trust her with her backstory? She pulled her sleeves down her arms and held them with her fingers as she began to tell the story.

“Christmas 2009. We drove home from upstate with both of my parents pretty buzzed. I slept through the whole thing. Apparently, according to Uncle Sam and the court documents, they were in a car crash. The thermoses were full of beer and wine. They’d been drinking steadily throughout the night. I was put in state custody after that, something about reckless endangerment. Four weeks later, Charlotte and Sam Michaels gained full custody of me, with no visitation rights granted to my parents. They were jailed for a time, but they can’t visit me.” She shrugged. “And that’s assuming none of the meteors killed them. Yet, the worst part? Uncle Sam was the officer responding to the call. So he had to respond to his sister and brother-in-law driving drunk with their seven-year-old daughter fast asleep in the backseat. Yikes.” She made a face.

“And then you lived with them, but then how does Ted fit in?” Slippery When Wet asked, watching Noel lean back against the wall and put the notebook aside. That’s not what she was trying to do, but if talking was going to make Noel feel better, then Slippery When Wet was all for it.

“Auntie Charlotte got more neurotic the older I got. It just happened. I don’t know what it was, honestly. Uncle Sam began picking more shifts up at the station. Eventually, they started going to counseling. Thursdays were Uncle Sam’s late-night shifts. He’d pick me up from middle school and drop me off at home before heading to the station. Coincidentally, Auntie Charlotte would bring Ted from her work home for dinner. We’d eat, I’d head back into my room, and not even an hour later, I’d hear moans and grunts and sounds of the headboard banging against the wall. Not comforting sounds to hear for an already anxious 12-year-old.” She laughed, remembering the nights she’d lie awake. The laugh that slipped from her lips felt precious. It was the first one in a while. Noel collapsed into a fit of giggles, making the mother in front of her smile. It passed the time, Noel telling stories. She told of playgrounds, mishaps, and birthdays spent in Hatchetfield. Before the pair knew it, the bunker door was opened and the group came back with supplies and two new recruits.

Two unexpected recruits, yes, but recruits nonetheless. 

_ “Emma! Paul!” _

Noel scrambled up the stairs to the living area, wrapping her arms around the two. Emma hugged her back, surprised to see the girl in such a better mood than before. Slippery When Wet trailed up the stairs behind her, giving her father a hug and pressing a quick kiss to her husband’s lips. The two kids were immediately upstairs, eyeing the two women being checked by Hidgens for any signs of the apotheosis. Noel hadn’t been tested, but Hidgens figured that since she was being monitored under Emma’s extremely protective gaze, she was okay.

Noel felt better in Emma's arms. She had a soft spot for the crabby barista. She could remember, vaguely, Emma being a little sweeter at work when Paul would bring Noel with her. Or Emma being a little sweeter when Noel would get tired while moving through desolate Hatchetfield. Noel hadn't tried to get Emma to be soft to her, she just looked at her more like a mother than she probably should've.

But that was okay because she knew that deep down, Emma felt the same.


	7. 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ey-yo, havent updated in over a month check

“Are you better?” Emma asked, inspecting the girl for any other wounds besides the tiny one on her arm. Noel nodded, less anxious and burdened than before.

“Mrs. Dikrats is really sweet, Emma. She let me tell her about everything. About Mom and Dad, Uncle Sam and Auntie Charlotte...I had to tell her Ted’s not my dad.” She laughed again, the sound bringing a lighter tone to the room.

“Who in the hell would think that mustache man is a dad?” A new voice startled Noel, making the girl turn around to face a girl with frizzy brown curls thrown into a ponytail, around her height. The brown shirt the woman wore was covered in what Noel assumed to be mud and ash from fires. The pants were the exact same. The woman behind her gripped her arm, clearly not putting up with the other.

“Sorry, but who are you?” Noel crossed her arms, making sure Emma stayed right with her. The woman with the ponytail mimicked Noel, and the other woman sighed.

“I’m Jemilla. This is Zazzalil. I’m sorry about her, she’s a little bit of a bitch sometimes.” She squeezed Zazzalil’s arm. Emma gave a smile to Jemilla as she put her hand on Noel’s shoulder.

“This is Noel. The girl I was telling you about, Jemilla. I’m sure she’ll be more polite once she remembers her manners.” Emma gave her arm a squeeze, but Noel knew it wasn’t meant to be taken as a kind one. The similarities between Jemilla and Emma were intimidating. 

“It’s nice to meet you both,” she offered her hand to the pair, “I’m Noel. Not Ted or Emma’s kid. I swear.” She gave a soft smile as well. It was all forced, as Emma was standing right there, but it was working. Zazzalil shook her hand and then Jemilla did the same. Paul was unpacking all the supplies with Ted, Hidgens, and Titty Mitty, putting the medkits aside for Noel to sort through.

“Noel, can you sort through those?” Ted waved his hand at the stack of medkits on the table. Noel immediately kneeled on a chair and began to go through each kit. She pulled out half-empty boxes of bandages and opened bottles of peroxide. 

“Where did you guys go?” She asked, pulling out some gauze pads and putting them on the table. Ted just kept piling medkits as Jack Bauer spoke up.

“We went to Waterbury. Ransacked as many places as we could. Then, we found the lesbians over there--” He gave a wild gesture to Jemilla and Zazzalil, “So after Emma and Paul checked them out, we offered them the deal of a lifetime.”  
“Deal of a lifetime?” Ted made a face, “Jack, it’s literally just having a place to stay that has food. That’s really it.” He passed the last medkit over to Noel, who was still emptying out the first few. She looked up at the stack, along with the other supplies they’d grabbed.

“Holy shit, where’d you guys get all this? When we were in Waterbury, we struggled all the time…” She trailed off, holding a can of pie filling. She hadn’t had pie in years, much less the filling. Hidgens took it from her and put it in the pantry pile. 

“It was in stores and stuff. We’re assuming there’s another group with a shit-ton of food that we accidentally stole from, but I couldn’t tell you for sure. Don’t worry, though. Jack Bauer and Titty Mitty were hunting too. The meat’s in the back, getting treated and such.” Ted talked, not putting Noel at ease. He had a habit of that. He’d sometimes say things that made the teen a little nervous. She continued to sort as the adults around her talked. Eventually, she got everything reorganized into a few kits, storing the others for extra boxes. She ran her fingers through the bottom of her hair, getting little knots out here and there. She winced as she hit a big one, pulling her fingers out. Jemilla was still there, waiting for anyone to take her to the room she and Zazzalil would be sharing. She noticed Noel’s struggles and spoke up.

“How long has it been since you got a haircut?” She asked, coming to the teen. Noel froze up, not responding. Jemilla didn’t get the idea that Noel wasn’t as social as she seemed at first and continued to talk, “I’m guessing a while.”

“I think two years,” Noel responded, her voice almost unheard. She realized she’d have to respond at some point. Emma had gone downstairs to shower, leaving Noel practically wide open.

“Zazz or I could cut your hair if you want.” She offered, and Noel felt her heart speed up. Why would this woman offer to cut her hair? She had just met her. Also, she wouldn’t trust that girl Zazzaili with scissors. Who would?

“I’d have to talk to Emma, ma’am.” She said softly, cracking her knuckles. Hidgens had come in, taking the stacks of medkits. Noel jumped up and helped, taking a stack from Hidgens. Anything to get her out of the conversation. Hidgens walked with her, taking large strides that caused Noel to run after him. 

“How long have you been with my Emma?” Hidgens asked Noel as she was standing behind him, holding the stack of medkits for him to shelve. She thought for a minute.

“Well, I’m 16 now, I had just turned 12...almost five years now. I think. What day is it?” She asked, watching the stack diminish every time he turned back around.

“It’s December 13, Noel. So, almost five years. And you four have been okay on your own?” He asked, reaching up onto the shelf. Noel nodded, shifting her weight.

“Mhm, Colonel Schaffer took care of Emma and Paul. I was living on Beanie’s pastries until Emma made it out--”

“Yes, she told me all about you one night. She couldn’t sleep, she was mapping out routes for me. She kept rambling on about you. She didn’t know how you would...cope with a new home. I assured her you’d be alright. I’m assuming I was correct?” he looked back, the stack now inside of the closet. Noel looked at her face in the mirror before looking back up to an expectant Hidgens. She didn’t know how she felt about Emma telling Hidgens about her. She understood that Emma had probably been on the verge of sleep deprivation, but it still hurt a bit.

“Oh, oh--yeah, sir. I’m alright.” Noel responded, leaving the storage room and heading into their makeshift kitchen. Craphole and Slippery When Wet were making dinner, the seven-year-old nagging as Zazzalil came in through the other entryway. She didn’t know how to feel about Zazzalil, but Noel sure knew how she felt about Craphole, and she adored that kid. He gave her a little bit of hope.

“Hi, Noel!” Craphole immediately came over and took the girl’s hands in his own, causing Noel to snap from her thoughts, “Mama’s making dinner and I’m bored. Can we play a game?” He was holding her hands in his tiny, clammy ones. His blonde hair was falling over his eyes and his hat was haphazardly thrown on his head. He was looking at her with child-like eyes, the sparkle she wished she could’ve kept. He was seven, the same age she had been when she had that pretty little sparkle. Noel couldn’t help but give in. 

“Sure, sweetie, let’s go play.” She smiled and let him lead her away. She heard Slippery When Wet humming, but no singing. No infection in this bunker. Noel sat down with Craphole and found the pack of cards he’d gotten from a safe house in North Carolina, teaching him how to play war.

  
Life was good. It felt nice.


End file.
